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Lydia Loveless sings at the Motel San Jose’s SXSJ (South by San Jose) concerts in Austin for SXSW. The bass player is Ben Lamb. (Photo by Michael Mayer)

By Michael Mayer

Lydia Loveless has been on the rise for the last couple of years, her rock-country crossover sound (which is getting more rock all the time) winning over critics and record-buyers. But, and you read it here first, 2016 will be The Year Of Lydia!!

At her SXSW shows, the Ohio native played a number of absolutely outstanding songs that are due to be released shortly on her fourth album. And she is the subject a new documentary by director Gorman Bechard entitled “Who is Lydia Loveless?” And her live shows just continue to get better. She’s backed by her husband, Ben Lamb, on bass, a pair of great guitarists in Todd May and Jay Gasper, and a more recently added crack drummer in George Hondroulis.

She pulled from all her recent albums (and the new one) in her many SXSW sets. A lot of bands come to Austin and repeat identical setlists but Loveless gave the fans who followed her around town some variety. And there are so many great songs in her repertoire now, it can’t be seen as anything but win-win.

Check out this cool panoramic video shot of Lydia performing a new song, “Clumps.”